


Before the relay

by epithalamium



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen, M/M, episode 7 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-20
Updated: 2014-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-13 23:24:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2169240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epithalamium/pseuds/epithalamium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He knew Ai would be outside the club room, sitting on the steps with his head bowed low, finally giving in to the tears he would not show in front of his team mates earlier. And because Rin was a coward, he was one of the first to leave and go back to the dorms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before the relay

He knew Ai would be outside the club room, sitting on the steps with his head bowed low, finally giving in to the tears he would not show in front of his team mates earlier. And because Rin was a coward, he was one of the first to leave and go back to the dorms; unable to look at the sadness in Ai's face, knowing that it was he who had caused it. No matter that the decision hadn't been Rin's alone. He still, somehow, peripherally, blamed himself and so stayed clear.

He was probably the last person Ai wanted to see.

He was lying in bed, trying not to think, when Sousuke entered the room. One look at his childhood friend's face told Rin it was probably best to let Sousuke bring the subject up himself, and so Rin kept silent, waiting.

'He was crying,' said Sousuke, taking off his jacket and not meeting Rin's eyes. 'When I left.'

That was only the beginning, and Sousuke was telling Rin nothing that Rin didn't already know. After a moment, Sousuke sat down Rin's bed, unlacing his shoes in a manner that was too intent to be casual.

'He looks up to you very much.' Slight humour in Sousuke's voice that implied what he thought of Ai's follies, and Rin frowned. 'He wanted,' a sigh's worth of pause, 'to swim with you before you leave Samezuka.'

'I know,' said Rin.

'You shouldn't have let him get his hopes up,' said Sousuke. And finally, as Rin had expected: the recriminations. 'You knew he wouldn't be able to make it. You knew he was too slow still, even with all that hard work and improvement. Maybe next year, yes. But not now.'

'He was training hard,' said Rin. 'I respect that. I can't—it's not for me to tell him to quit, just because there isn't enough time.'

Had he shown Ai kindness earlier, had given him support well before the relay with Iwatobi last year, would things have been different? Would Ai be swimming the relay for Samezuka now?

And that was another reason for the guilt lodged deep in his gut. Not merely because Rin couldn't do anything for Ai even as Samezuka's swim club captain, but because he hadn't, wouldn't—

'Don't blame yourself for another man's mistakes,' said Sousuke. And Rin wondered if his face had betrayed his thoughts, or if Sousuke really knew him that well, even after all the years they've spent apart. 'This fixation on you; it could be an obstacle to his own skills in the long run.'

'Stop babying him,' said Sousuke, at the same time Rin said, 'I owe him that much.'

At Sousuke's raised eyebrow, Rin sat up. 'He believed in me when I didn't. Shown me support even when I acted like shit. And now it's too late—'

'It's never too late,' said Sousuke. And surprising Rin, he smiled. It was almost self-deprecating, and Rin had to look away, knowing he'd seen something private, something Sousuke wasn't ready to tell him about yet. 'Not for you and him, anyway. That's what I told him.'

'You?'

'I told him that if he keeps it up, he might be able to swim with you someday,' said Sousuke, ignoring the implications in Rin's question.

And because Rin wasn't nice enough, or was too much of Sousuke's friend to let it slide, he said, 'You're only too quick to tell me he wasn't good enough before, why give him advice now?'

'Because he needed to hear it,' said Sousuke. 'And you weren't there because you're a damned coward.'

'Fuck off,' said Rin, without much heat.

'That's what he should have told you ages ago,' said Sousuke. 'The patience on that boy. For that alone, I have to say I admire him.'

'You don't know shit about Ai.'

'Oh I don't know,' said Sousuke. He stood up and began to collect his towel and bathing implements. 'I'm beginning to think we're more similar than anyone would suspect.'

Before Rin could say anything more, Sousuke left the room.

*

Before the relay and Ai was fiddling with the zip of his jacket, glancing now and then at Rin with a little frown on his face. Rin thought about Momotarou talking to Ai earlier, Ai's puzzled expression when Momotarou said he'd do his best, and how easy that little exchange had been. Rin bit his lip.

'Rin-senpai!'

He looked up. Ai was now standing a couple of feet away, fists held in front of his chest, and his face set.

'Please do your best.' As If thinking about what he'd just said, Ai tilted his head to one side and then laughed. 'Well, of course you'll do your best. I just—well, good luck, senpai!'

Rin smiled. It was easy to forget the guilt and all his doubts. So easy to reach out and tousle Ai's hair. So easy, in the end, to talk to Ai. Because he was Ai, and he'd known Rin at his very worst but still remained his friend.

'Yeah.'

'And I'll do my best as well,' said Ai, bowing so low Rin was scared for a moment Ai would fall flat on his face. 'So I can swim with you next time, Rin-senpai!'

Rin placed a hand under Ai's chin, lifting his face up. 'I'll wait for you, okay?'

'Okay!'

Ai always smiled with his whole face: his eyes shining and his lips stretched so wide it looked almost painful. He was smiling now, straightening up from his bow and almost jumping in excitement. Rin wondered if Ai was just the sort of person who didn't care to hide his emotions from other people; or if he was so unused to praise, any show of belief in his abilities, that any kind word makes him look so heartbreakingly happy.

Or maybe, Rin thought, it's just you.

He liked seeing Ai smile. It made him think of that perfect moment in early summer, just when the sea gets warm enough to swim in and before the brightness of the sun gets bad enough that one has to worry about sunburn.

Rin held out his little finger, aware that he was getting red in the face and that his hand was shaking. It felt stupid: it probably _was_ stupid. He'd never, not even as a romantic sop of a kid, ever considered making a pinky promise with anyone. And here he was, years later, wholly taken in by a smile.

Ai was blushing as well, while he hooked his own finger with Rin's. Rin noted the pink tips of Ai's ears and fought the sudden urge to bite him there.

'Promise.'

**Author's Note:**

> I just really needed to get my episode 7 feelings out of the way before the next episode. But who'd have thought writing Sousuke would be this fun? 
> 
> I've read some meta posts from Tumblr saying that Sousuke might have a case of swimmer's shoulder, and that gives a whole different dimension to his actions and interactions with the other characters from the show. I sort of had that in mind while writing this, but even if Sousuke isn't injured after all, his conversation with Nitori outside the club room shows that he does in some way empathise with Nitori, so. I think it's really interesting, you know?
> 
> Also, fingers crossed that Nitori _would_ swim the relay for regionals, but I've no idea how that's going to work out.


End file.
